Former St Helens half joins new club almost seven years after Super League retirement

A former St Helens playmaker who called time on his Super League career in 2018 has signed with a new club for the 2025 season.

Ex-St Helens man Luke Walsh announced his retirement from rugby league in April 2018 based on medical advice after suffering a significant ankle injury.

Walsh was in his second season with Catalans Dragons and suffered the injury against Hull KR in February 2018 before deciding to hang up the boots two months later after hearing the opinions of “multiple medical practitioners”.

Despite that, he has now signed for his fourth different team in the Newcastle Rugby League competition, revealing that he will play on in 2025 – almost seven years after his initial retirement.

The former NRL and Super League playmaker is currently 37 and it has been confirmed that he has signed with Macquarie Scorpions in the Newcastle Rugby League first-grade comp for the upcoming campaign.

Ex-Super League playmaker Luke Walsh signs with new club for 2025

Walsh, who made 81 appearances in Super League and won the competition in his debut campaign at the club, had previously made almost 150 appearances in the NRL.

Starting at Newcastle Knights, he will once again play in the area’s elite competition after signing with the Scorpions for 2025 having previously played for Western Suburbs.

Announcing the signing on their Facebook page, the Scorpions revealed: “We’re thrilled to announce the signing of Luke Walsh, a player who brings a wealth of experience to the club. With a background in the NRL and Super League, Luke knows what it takes to perform at the highest levels of the game.

“Luke is also here to help develop and guide our talented crop of local juniors as they transition into senior football. His leadership and expertise will be invaluable as we continue building for success.”

The team’s coach, Jye Bayley, told The Newcastle Herald: “We needed the experience. We’ve got a lot of younger players and he’s a high-quality player with NRL and Super League experience.

“He’ll be good for us on and off the field. He’s what we were looking for.”